Forbidden
by outSide.castle
Summary: [InuKag] Inuyasha is mortally wounded in battle and presumed dead. However, his funeral ship washes upon the shores of another country, the home of princess Kagome, where she finds him on the brink of death and nurses him back to health. Now what?
1. Shattering of Innocence

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Kagome or Tristan or Isolde. How depressing. So don't sue me please, because that would be like rubbing salt into the wound.

**AN: **I seem to have a knack for starting new stories without finishing my current ones. But it's just so fun to write new stories! And I have lots of ideas that I've just been dying to make into stories.

I watched Tristan and Isolde a few days ago with a friend. (I must add, James Franco is absolutely drool worthy.) But I liked the story plot and I thought "wouldn't this make a great story?" so being my ambitious self, I've set out to write it. This story will be loosely based on Tristan and Isolde (the only thing I'm really using is the plot line). The characters, of course, will be Inuyasha and Kagome, and the ending might be different, we'll see It will be less tragic than the movie, for those of you who've seen it, and hopefully more humorous. And Isolde was beginning to get on my nerves, so hopefully that'll change too.

I doubt this will get finished...but I can try. Here goes!

* * *

**Forbidden**

**Prologue**

**Shattering of Innocence**

* * *

_The Northern and Southern empires of the land have been at war for as long as anyone can remember. The South finally succeeded, taking control of all of the Northern lands. To weaken their enemies and prevent further rebellion, the South divided the North into fourteen smaller countries, seven for the humans, seven for the demons. By doing this, they hoped to throw the North into a civil war, one race against another._

_A civil war would greatly weaken the Northern country, giving the South no competition for rulership. The South knows that if the North were to unite into one country, they could easily overtake their conquerors. The South's plan worked for two hundred years, before the North finally realized the foolishness of their actions. When Inutessai, a ruthless, brilliant, but compassionate ruler gained lordship of his country, Kalem, he vowed to unite all the lands of the North, and finally overthrow the vengeful South who had controlled them for over two centuries. _

* * *

"Inuyasha, come inside!" A woman's voice rang out over the town square, causing several heads to turn in her direction. Her eyes scanned the marketplace, spotting a head of white hair over by the blacksmith. "Inuyasha!" She yelled, growing impatient. She saw his ear flicker, and she knew that he had heard her. She huffed, gathering her skirts and stepped off the stoop of her porch, heading in his direction. "Stupid, disobeying, hard-headed, stubborn..." She muttered under her breath as she came up behind him. 

"I can hear you mother." Inuyasha said, keeping his eyes trained on the blacksmith as he pounded away at the red-hot sword.

"That's the point." She replied evenly. "What are you doing here by yourself anyway. How come you aren't playing with your friends?"

Inuyasha's jaw clenched. "That's boring. I'd rather watch this. Plus, father told me to pick up his sword when I could."

His mother sighed, looking over towards the field nearby where a group of young boys were playing tag. She knew that was a lie. She knew that he would give anything to be playing with those boys right now.

"All down." The blacksmith growled, wiping a dirty hand over his even dirtier face. He dunked the finished sword into a bucket of cold water, watching as it hissed and steamed before taking it out. He wrapped it in a piece of cloth and tied it carefully with a piece of string. "Send my regards to your father." He nodded as he handed over the bundled sword to Inuyasha. Inuyasha bowed in thanks, before looking up at his mother. "Okay, mom, we can go home now." He stuck his free hand into hers and began leading the way through the crowd and back home.

She smiled lovingly down at the little boy holding her hand. He was such a kind and loving person under that tough exterior...she would give anything for him to be happy. That's all she ever wanted for him. But in a world like this, that was easier asked for than given.

"We're home!" Inuyasha yelled once he entered the front door of their home. "I picked up Tetsusaiga too!" He ran through the house eagerly and into the study. There he froze, for a dozen or so faces had turned their gazes to him once he entered the room. Inuyasha searched around eagerly for his father, spotting him at the front, the only one standing. He ran to him, clutching his father's leg.

"Aah, thank you Inuyasha." The Inutessai looked down at his son, smiling as he took Tetsusaiga from his small hands. "I've been wondering about my sword."

"What's going on father?" Inuyasha said tightly, looking around at all the strange faces. There were fourteen people gathered into the spacious study, his father included. Seven humans and seven demons. Judging by the clothes they wore, each looked to be a lord, or at least some kind of wealthy official.

"We're holding a meeting." Inutessai explained. "The thirteen that you see here are all lords of their respective countries. I have called them here today to organize a unification treaty." Inuyasha nodded, knowing that it would be best for him to leave his father to complete the meeting before pushing for any further information. Even as a young boy of six, he had a good idea of what his father was talking about. A unified North could compete with the South, and perhaps eventually overthrow them. Inuyasha scampered out of the study, closing the door behind him and entered the kitchen. He sat down at the dining table, watching as his mother busied herself in the kitchen.

"Mother?"

"Yes?"

"Are we going to war?"

"Probably." She bent down to look for a pot. She knew better than to sugarcoat things for Inuyasha, it never helped. "Oh darn." She muttered. "We're out of salt."

"I'm on it." Inuyasha hopped down from where he was sitting and made his way towards the door. As he walked past the study, a young man stepped out. He was human, one of the lords in the meeting. What surprised Inuyasha was his age. He looked only to be sixteen, at the oldest.

The mad quietly closed the study door after him, not noticing Inuyasha yet. "Talk about being bored to tears." He muttered very quietly under his breath, but Inuyasha caught the remark. The lord turned, and jumped to find Inuyasha standing only a foot or two away from him.

For a while, they just stood there, sizing each other up. Inuyasha usually didn't care much for humans, besides his mother. He looked into the lords eyes, but to his surprise, found nothing malicious or power-hungry. Although still young, Inuyasha knew enough to know that this man was not the average, selfish, conniving lord that the other lords seemed to be. He had a young, boyish face, and was tall and quite well-built for his age. On his head was a shock of raven colored hair, and his dark grey eyes twinkled. Although he still wore expensive-looking clothes, his outfit was toned down somewhat, like that of a merchant instead of a lord. Something about this man made Inuyasha lower his guard, a very unusual thing for Inuyasha to do.

After a few minutes of this staring contest, the lord broke into a smile, extending his hand.

"I'm Akira."

* * *

Kagome screamed in delight, running away as fast as she could. A few feet behind her, her mother chased her, laughing. "You better run faster! I'll catch you and TICKLE YOU TO DEATH!" Her mother called out. 

Kagome giggled, collapsing into a heap on the soft grass of the castle courtyard. "I surrender mommy." She said, breathing deeply.

Her mother smiled, coming to sit down beside her four-year old daughter. They sat in silence for a while, just enjoying the sun and the light breeze on their faces.

"Mommy?" Kagome asked suddenly, sitting up.

"Hm?"

"When will Daddy be back?"

"I don't know honey. When he's done with his business in the North."

"What is his business there for?"

Her mother sighed, taking Kagome's hands in hers. "We, as the South, rule the North. The North is tired of being ruled all the time, so they are trying to rebel. Your daddy went to stop them."

Kagome looked puzzled. "If the North don't want to be ruled anymore, then why don't we just give them what they want?"

"Because that would be giving them power."

"But if we gave them power, they'd be happy wouldn't they?"

Her mom nodded. "But dear, you see, sometimes one has to be selfish. You can't always be generous. If being generous results in pain for yourself, then there's no point."

Kagome frowned. "I don't see how. Aren't people just happy to be able to make other people happy?" She asked innocently.

Tears gathered in her mother's eyes and she wrapped her arms around her daughter and pulled her close. "Oh sweetie, if only everybody was like that. Unfortunately, they're not. The world is full of greedy, selfish people."

Kagome remained silent, mulling this thought over in her head. "You mean, there are bad people? People who like to hurt others?" She asked hesitantly, not knowing how this was possible.

Her mother sighed, kissing Kagome's forehead. "You'll see one day." She could only hope that it wouldn't be the hard way.

* * *

Inuyasha stopped, dropping the paper sack in which the salt was carried. He ingored the snow white granules that spilled out over the dirt ground. In front of his eyes was his house, now surrounded by what looked like Southern soldiers. They surrounded his house with their swords and torches. Blinded by fright and fury, Inuyasha broke into a run, dodging a few soldiers and running into his house. 

His worst fear was confirmed.

There in the kitchen, laying on her back, was her mother. A small river of blood trickle out of the corner of her mouth and down her chin. A sword stuck out of her chest where somebody had stuck it in brutelessly. Inuyasha ran over to her as fast as his legs could carry her. "Mother!" He screamed, dropping to his knees before her. "Mother, mother, wake up!" He shook her shoulders, but she didn't stir. He grabbed her hand, recoiling in fear when he felt that it was ice cold. He stared numbly down at the only person who had ever made him feel safe and truly loved. She was like a light in his life, and she had just gone out.

Still frightened, Inuyasha looked up and around the room, searching for his father. He spotted Inutessai laying on his back in the corner of the room. He was still stirring.

Abandoning his dead mother, Inuyasha ran over to him, taking his hand. "Father." He choked out, now beginning to cry.

Inutessai's eyes slowly opened, focusing on Inuyasha's dirty, tear-streaked face. "Inu...yasha?" He coughed, blood splattering over his chin. He closed his eyes, obviously in intense pain, and groaned.

"What happened father?" Inuyasha whispered.

"The South...they...they found out about our plan..." he wheezed, choking each word out. "Sabotaged...killed..." He drifted off.

"Father?!" Inuyasha cried, tightening his grip on his father's hand.

"Inuyasha..." He breathed. "It's time...for me to..."

Inuyasha watched as the strongest man he had ever known struggled for every labored breath.

"Take Tetsusaiga." His father said sofly, motioning weakly at the sword on the ground next to him. "Run..."

Inuyasha nodded, laying his head softly on his father's chest, careful not to cause him more pain. "Your mother said...to tell you that...she..." His eyes flickered closed. "we..." he corrected, the breath leaving him as he spoke his last words. "loved you...be happy..."

With that, he was dead.

Inuyasha just stared, tears flowing freely down his face. In the span of an hour, he had just lost everything he had ever cared about in his life. He had never hated anyone more than he hated the soldiers who murdered his parents. But he was only six, and a child. He could do nothing. So he wept.

As he cried over his father, Inuyasha did not notice the figure creeping up behind him. It was a Southern soldier, wielding a large, bloody knife in his hands. He came to a stop before the young hanyou, and raised his arm in the air, preparing to swing it down with a fatal blow.

"Inuyasha!!" A male voice rang out, and Inuyasha looked up just in time to see his would-be murderer fall dead in a bloody heap next to him. Inuyasha watched, astonished, then looked up to see who had killed him.

Akira stood, bloody, scratched, and bruised, but nevertheless alive. He was panting heavily, and he fell tiredly to the ground.

"Akira, are you okay?" Inuyasha said, alarmed. "Did you just save my life?"

Akira smirked in spite of the pain he was in. "I guess you could call it that." He said between breaths.

"Why?"

"Don't ask me." Akira said, closing his eyes. "It was instinct."

"Thank you." Inuyasha said quietly. Akira just smiled. "How many soldiers are left?"

"That was the last one, I think." Akira said, sitting up now that he had recovered. "Help me to the healers?" He asked.

Inuyasha nodded, helping Akira to a standing position. Together they stumbled through the mess of bodies and debris. Inuyasha looked back one last time at the mess behind him. After a moment's hesitation, he turned back around and concentrated on helping Akira. He had just lost his father and mother. Who was there left to love?

He looked up at Akira, feeling a pang as the older boy grimaced in pain with each step.

Akira had just saved his life. Inuyasha vowed to someday repay him.

* * *

**AN: **Next chapter will be "Day of Destruction"

* * *


	2. Day of Destruction

Disclaimer: Inuyasha is not mine. If he was, I wouldn't be here, writing this disclaimer. Actually, I wouldn't be here, period.

**AN: **Well, here's chapter 1! Usually, I'm on a roll for the first 3 or 4 chapters, then I usually loose steam. But we'll worry about that when the time comes. Enjoy this one.

* * *

**Forbidden **

**Chapter 1**

**Day of Destruction**

* * *

"Your beloved is leaving soon, aren't you going to go bade him farewell?" Emperor Higurashi frowned at his daughter, who was busy picking wildflowers in the courtyard garden. "Are you listening to me?" He said, growing impatient. 

"Yes father." Kagome sighed, standing up with her flowers. It was a beautiful bunch, mostly white carnations with a few sky blue Forget-Me-Nots. She raised them to her face delicately, sniffing. They smelled even better.

"Kagome." His tense tone of voice was a warning for her to get going.

"I know I know." Kagome rolled her eyes. "I was just on my way with these flowers...For him." She added the last part hastly.

Her answer seemed to satisfy her father, for he relaxed, placing a hand gently on her shoulder and walking away with her towards the gates. "Now I know Kouga is very strong and able, but this is a dangerous mission, and the chances of him returning aren't set in concrete. I know that it would make him very happy if you went to go see him."

Kagome nodded silently, coming to a stop before Kouga's bedroom door. She raised a hand, hesitating slightly before knocking on the door.

"Come in."

"I'll leave you two alone." Lord Higurashi said, giving Kagome a light kiss on the forehead before continuing on his way.

Kagome sighed, steeling her nerves before carefully opening the door.

"Sir Kouga." Kagome said, entering the room and closing the door behind her.

"Princess Kagome." Kouga said, bowing his head. "And how are you today?"

"Fine, you?" She replied stiffly, shuffling the flowers in her hand.

"Also fine, if not for the fact that I am leaving you here all alone." He smirked, making his way towards her.

Kagome rolled her eyes, not caring if he saw or not. "Here are the flowers I've picked for you." She held them out, waiting for him to take them. He did graciously.

"For me? You are too kind." He said, placing them carelessly on his bed.

"Not at all."

Kouga picked up his sword, sticking it in front of Kagome's face abruptly. She swallowed. "Look at this." He said, eyes glinting. "I've covered it with poison taken from a Dart Tailed Frog. Whoever touches this will not be a happy fellow."

"Nothing that some thyme leaves and sea salt can't cure." Kagome said simply.

Kouga's jaw clenched, angered by her calm comment. "Good thing nobody but you knows that."

Kagome shrugged.

"Come here, won't you?" He said after a moment's pause. Kagome didn't reply, but stepped closer to him.

"Closer."

Step.

"Closer."

...Step.

Kouga growled in frustration, reaching out with his arm to grab her arm and pull her closer. She gasped in surprise as he pulled her against him. "I know you'll miss me, but please don't be saddened, I _will_ return. " He smirked down at her. "And when I do, we can finalize this marriage, and I will finally be able to have my way with you."

It took all her will power not to spit in his face. She tried pulling away from him, but his iron grip kept her firmly pushed against him. She just settled for glaring up at him. "If only my father didn't want this marriage...Oh, the things I would do to you..."

"Let's not get kinky now." He smirked.

"It'll be my dream come true if you never return." She seethed.

"Another reason wenches like you should stop dreaming and just be the obedient little pretty thing you are and do what you're told."

"In your dreams."

"You have no idea." He laughed wickedly. "Now, while I'm gone, don't forget that you're my woman-"

"I am NOT your woman."

"-and take care not to do anything naughty with any other guys out there." His face loomed closer as he smirked at her, fangs showing. "We'd make lovely babies don't you think?"

"Who's making babies?" She spat.

"We will be once I return." He swooped down, placing his mouth fiercly on hers. Her eyes widened, and she placed her hands on his broad chest, pushing with all her might. But she gave up soon, failing to break his grip on her. He finally pulled back. "Now be good, and don't forget..." He pulled back, grabbing his sword and pulling open the door of his bedroom. "You're MY woman!" He cackled as he sped away down the hall and out the castle gates towards the ship waiting in the dock.

Kagome wiped her mouth, trying to rid herself of the vile taste he left in her mouth. "Stupid wolf. Stupid marriage. Stupid stupid stupid." She ground out, stomping out of the room herself. She loved her father dearly, but marrying her off to this lame excuse of a wolf demon was not one of his smartest choices. Ever since her mother had died mysteriously ten years ago, her father had withdrawn, no longer the hearty, outgoing man he once was. She sighed, knowing that he was simply trying to make her happy. He thought that if he arranged a marriage for her, she would never have to worry about being lonely. Like he was. But he just didn't see that Kagome wanted to find love on her own, not be forced into it. And he definitely did not see that Kagome despised Kouga.

* * *

"I really hate it when you go out to battle." Lord Akira sighed dramatically as he watched Inuyasha get ready. "I keep telling you that you don't have to go fight, we have a strong and large enough army for you to stay home." 

"And get fat and lazy? I think not." Inuyasha replied, grabbing some arm guards and strapping them on. "I need the exercise."

"And here I am, stressing out with worry. What if you get killed?" Akira bit his lip.

"Then I get killed." Inuyasha shrugged. "Don't worry about it, there's nothing you can do to change it. I'm going to fight whether you like it or not." He finished getting ready and turned to face Akira. The truth was, he couldn't die, because he vowed not to leave Akira.

Akira sighed again, standing up from where he was sitting on Inuyasha's bed. "If you must." He said, following Inuyasha as he exited his bedroom. As soon as they stepped out into the hall, a swarm of soldiers rushed past them, almost knocking them over. They were all heading towards the ports where the ships docked.

"Time for me to go." Inuyasha grabbed Tetsusaiga, slipping it into his scabbard. "I'll be back before you know it alright?"

Akira nodded. "Alright." He embraced Inuyasha for a short moment before watching the hanyou as he turned and joined the rest of the soldiers in the crowd. Lord Akira kept his eyes on that white bob of hair all the way until it exited the castle gates and took a right turn, where they marched out of view. He sighed, turning and making his way to his bedroom to catch a few winks before dinner.

It had been thirteen years since the day they met in front of Inutessai's study. He was already twenty-eight, and Inuyasha was nineteen. After they buried Inutessai and his wife, Akira was made leader of the unified North. Before moving to the capital, he had requested that Inuyasha join him as his second. Over the years, they had grown very close, with a relationship somewhere between brothers, and father and son. But the point was, Akira cared for Inuyasha deeply, and had come to love him as if he were a son.

He believed in Inuyasha's skill as a remarkable fighter, but that didn't stop him from worrying. Inuyasha was the only person he had. What would he do if he was killed in battle one day?

* * *

Inuyasha whistled a light tune as he climbed aboard the ship. It was a beautiful day, perfect for venting some anger and killing some idiotic Southerns. Whatever it took for the North to overrule the enemy, Inuyasha would be glad to do. If Lord Akira wanted it, he would do it. He didn't think Akira knew just how far Inuyasha was willing to go for him. 

He seated himself comfortably on the side of the ship. From his left, he spotted Miroku coming his way. "Morning Inuyasha!" Miroku chirped, taking a seat beside his friend. Inuyasha grunted in reply.

"Did you get the usual lecture from Akira?" The monk asked.

"Yep."

"Has it affected you at all yet?"

"Um...nope."

"Don't you think Lord Akira has a point?" Miroku started. "What if you do get killed? What then?"

"I'll think about that when the time comes."

"You can't think when you're dead."

Inuyasha sighed. "Meaning that I won't have to think about it all, because I won't be dying."

Miroku sighed. "But what if you're wrong?"

"It's too early in the morning for questioning, Miroku." Inuyasha replied bluntly.

"It's almost four o'clock in the afternoon."

"My point exactly."

Miroku shook his head and got up. "But think about it. What if this time's different?" He turned and walked away, leaving his friend in thought.

"Keh." Inuyasha said at Miroku's retreating back. "It won't be."

* * *

"Kagome!" A voice called out behind her, and Kagome whirled around. "Oh, Sango, it's you." She calmed down slightly as her best friend approached her. 

"What's wrong?" Her friend's eyebrows drew together, noticing at once that something was off about Kagome.

Kagome crossed her arms, huffing. "Nothing. Just problems with the _fiance." _She spat the last word out as if it had a disgusting taste.

Sango rolled her eyes. "What else is new?"

Kagome sighed, frustrated. "Why can't my father see that we aren't meant to be? I can't even stand being near Kouga for five minutes, how am I supposed to live the rest of my life with that jerkfaced bastard?"

Sango responded by leaning forward and placing a light kiss on Kagome's cheek. "Well, we can always hope that he doesn't return this time."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "I guess. But we all know that he's one of the most skilled warriors in the land. If he dies, it'll be a sheer, thank-the-heavens-for-dumb-luck fluke."

Sango laughed, taking her best friend's arm and leading her down the hall. "Let's not worry about it for now. Come on, let's go down to the beach."

Kagome smiled, letting Sango lead the way. They had been best friends for as long as they could remember. Sango's father was the captain of the country's entire army force, and he and Kagome's father were quite close. But Sango's father died in battle when she was only six, and since her mother had died giving birth to her, she was now an orphan. Kagome's mother always loved Sango, and so they adopted Sango as their daughter, sort of. The adoption was never finalized, but it didn't matter, for Sango was just happy to be part of a family again.

But only two years later, when Kagome was seven, her mother died. It hurt Kagome more than she could have imagined. Her mother was the one person she loved more than anyone else in the world. But she was thankful to still have Sango and her father by her side, despite his crazy love decisions.

"Sango..." Kagome began silently as they made their way through the hall towards the castle gates.

"Hm?" The older girl replied.

"Do you believe in love?"

"I guess." Sango said in a whispy voice. She had yet to experience it, but she did believe it was out there.

"Do you think I'll ever have it?"

Sango turned to look at Kagome. She looked so small, staring down at her feet while biting her lip. Sango was the only person who knew how much Kagome let Kouga get to her. She knew how much of a romantic Kagome was deep down, and because of Kouga, she was kept away from the one thing she's wanted the most - true love.

"Yes." Sango replied simply. "Remember, think nasty thoughts and perhaps Kouga will get run through with a spear or something. Be optimistic!" She said, hoping to cheer her best friend up.

It worked. Kagome laughed a tinkling laugh and turned to give Sango a hug. "Thanks." She said.

Sango smiled and returned the hug. "You're welcome. Now let's go to the kitchens and nick some food to take down to the beach."

* * *

Inuyasha panted, looking around him at the piles and piles of bodies that lay around them. It had been a long, bloody, brutal battle, but it was finally coming to an end. Only one enemy left. 

He tightened his hold on the bloody Tetsusaiga and turned to face the demon standing before him. He had long black hair tied in a high ponytail. He reeked of wolf.

"Aww, little doggy, how cute."

"Shut up."

"Just surrender now why don't you?" The wolf smirked. "Your friends have." He nodded in the direction where Miroku and Hojo lay, barely alive. Inuyasha clenched his jaw. All the more reason to kill this bastard.

"Why don't you shut your trap and get on with it?" Inuyasha bit out.

He laughed. "As you wish puppy."

Inuyasha held up Tetsusaiga, charging towards the wolf demon. Seconds before his sword struck flesh, his opponent jumped out of the way, aiming a well-placed kick to the back of Inuyasha's head. The kick, along with his momentum, sent him tumbling head first into the ground. He got up, wiping his mouth. Before he could even recover, the wolf charged in his direction again, swinging his sword towards Inuyasha's head. He ducked just in time, and lashed out with a hard punch to Kouga's stomach, knocking the breath out of him. Taking advantage of the moment in which the wolf tried to catch his breath, Inuyasha sped towards him again, kicking him in the face. He continued his assault on him, using mainly his fists. He would tire him out, then finish him off with Tetsusaiga.

Obviously having had enough, the wolf spurned into action and jumped high over Inuyasha's head with his powerful legs. As he came down towards the hanyou, he pointed his sword downwards, right at Inuyasha. But Inuyasha jumped, kicking his opponent out of the air and into the nearest tree with a ground-jolting thump. The wolf slid down the tree and onto the ground with a grunt, lying still. Inuyasha, panting with exertion, made his way painfully towards the wolf. Just as he was about to declare him dead, he shot up with his sword, catching Inuyasha off guard.

His opponent's sword swept towards Inuyasha in a violent swing, ripping through his armor and cutting into the flesh of his chest. Inuyasha yelped in pain as he slid backwards from the hard hit. He looked up in anger at the wolf, ignoring the pain. With one last burst of energy, he shot forward with Tetsusaiga, grimacing slightly as his sword stuck with a thump into the wolf's chest. His opponent's eyes widened, and he coughed, blood spilling over his lips. Inuyasha withdrew his sword with a squishing sound, watching with a steely gaze as his opponent slid lifelessly to the ground. One last whisper escaped his lips before his eyes dimmed with death. "Kagome..."

Inuyasha, not knowing what that meant, ignored him. He slid Tetsusaiga into it's scabbard and stumbled his way towards where Miroku and Hojo lay. They had recovered somewhat while he was fighting, and they looked up at him in concern.

"Are you okay?" Miroku asked hurriedly, trying to get up but failing. He had broken one ankle and twisted the other.

"I'm fine, don't worry." Inuyasha attempted a smirk, making a gesture that told Miroku to remain seated.

"How bad are you hurt?" Hojo asked from a few feet to the left of Miroku. Hojo lay with a broken arm and broken leg.

Inuyasha looked himself up and down. "Not too bad, actually." He was pretture sure he had a few broken ribs, but that would heal in no time. Other than that and a few scratches and bruises here and there, he was perfectly fine.

Except for the gash in his chest. It was deep and bled profusely, probably his most serious injury. But it was still a flesh wound, and it would heal, although a scar might remain. Nothing he couldn't handle. "Come on, we should get going." He said to Miroku and Hojo, reaching out a hand to help them up. "Before any other Southern soldier appear and decide to--" He stopped, suddenly feeling dizzy. He collapsed painfully to the ground, laying on his back.

"Inuyasha? Inuyasha! What's wrong?" Miroku yelled, leaning over him.

"Nothing, I'm fine." Inuyasha groaned, bringing a hand to his head. He was, however, not fine. The dizziness had turned into a full-blown headache, and spots danced and flashed before his eyes. A roaring sound filled his ears, making it hard for him to hear what Hojo and Miroku were yelling at him. He then tasted something metallic in the back of his throat, and he coughed, trying to get it to go away. Instead, a rush of blood came up into his mouth, and he spit it out. His lungs felt punctured, although he knew they were not, and Inuyasha was finding it difficult to breathe. Each breath came harder and harder until he was panting heavily. He felt like his throat was closing up, and he clawed desperately at his neck.

"Inuyasha!!"

His name, yelled by both Miroku and Hojo, was the last thing he heard before the darkness engulfed his senses.

* * *

**AN: **Whew, that was tough. Writing fight scenes is harder than you think. Next chapter, Time and Sea. (I'm sure you guys have figured out what's going to happen by now.) 

Oh, and just to clear things up. Kagome is two years younger than Inuyasha and one year younger than Sango. So Kagome's 17, Sango's 18, and Inuyash'a 19. Miroku's also 19.

Till next time!


	3. Chicken or Cow?

Disclaimer: I own Inuyasha. He is half of a foot tall, stuffed with fluff, and sitting on the desk in my room. His butt says "Made in China".

**AN: **My head really hurts...if I shake it, I can literally feel my brain rolling around in my head. It's very painful, but kind of cool. I should probably stop though, or I won't have enough brain cells left to write this chapter.

On with the story!

(Sorry, I know this was supposed to be 'Time and Sea' but something came up, so that will be the title of the next chapter )

* * *

**Forbidden**

**Chapter 2**

**Chicken or Cow? **(Don't ask.)

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* * *

Akira opened his eyes groggily to the sounds of blaring horns. He frowned, sitting up in his four poster bed, stretching his tired limbs stiffly. Judging by the amount of light streaming in through his window, it was only five, maybe six in the morning. Why the hell would the sentries be blowing conch shells so early in the morning...? 

The sleepy lord sat and pondered this for a few minutes, the sound of the shells getting on his nerves more and more. Then, when they finally finished blowing, a drumroll started, shocking Akira out of his thoughts.

Blares of the conch shell, followed by a drumroll...this was the North's way of announcing the deaths in war. Any moment now, there would be drumbeats, one for every person who died.

Sure enough, the drumbeats started. Akira tried to count at first, but gave up somewhere around 261. He jumped out of bed, throwing on some clothes. Right now, what mattered was seeing that Inuyasha had returned safe.

After getting dressed, he threw open his bedroom door and began making his way down the hall towards the docks. He walked with bated breath, then berated himself for being so silly. Inuyasha was right, he was turning into a worrying old fart. This made Akira smile, and his strides became less huried as he told himself that Inuyasha was probably fine and kicking. He always was. Why would this time be any different.

Before reaching the docks however, he stopped short as he spotted Miroku making his way up the stairs towards the castle. Akira knew of Miroku's friendship with Inuyasha, and the somber look on the monk's face made the king stop cold in his tracks.

Miroku came to a stop before his king, all the while keeping his gaze on the floor. "Victory." He grumbled.

Akira nodded, only vaguely processing this piece of information that should have any lord great joy. "And Inuyasha?"

Miroku finally lifted his head to make eye contact with his lord. The look in his eyes told Akira all that he needed to know.

* * *

Kagome chewed thoughtfully on a piece of bread, staring off into the distance. She watched as the waves rolled and crashed, as if in a never ending brawl to gain the upper hand. She and Sango were sitting on the beach, enjoying some quiet time as they sat and ate, doing nothing else other than enjoying each other's company. 

"What are you thinking?" Sango said, tearing off a nice sized chunk off the large loaf of French bread that they had brought along with them.

"I'm thinking..." Kagome made a face at her bread. "This needs some butter."

"Quite the philosopher aren't you?" Sango passed the butter over to Kagome.

"Hey." Kagome spread a thick layer of butter on her bread before stuffing it in her mouth. "Hoffu effar gunof ilin buffo?"

Sango blinked. "Have I ever gunned off island buffaloes before...? Can't say that I have..."

Kagome shook her head, swallowing her mouthful before trying again. "No, have you ever gone off this island before?"

"You call this an island?" Sango said, motioning around her. "This is the Southern Empire, Kagome. It only feels like an island because you spend too much time on this beach next to the water."

Kagome sighed. "But it's so peaceful here...There's no one around to bother me or interrogate me or tell me to do things or do things for me or ask me what I want or-"

"Alright, point taken."

"-or to betroth me to some pig-headed, pompous, simple-minded wolf." Kagome finished darkly, kicking at the sand in frustration. Sango didn't respond, just kept eating her bread. "It's just so suffocating living like this." Kagome continued sullenly. "Every day is filled with duty and routines with nothing to..." She drifted off. Sango looked up at her with a puzzled expression.

"Anyway, getting back my question." Kagome snapped out of her reverie. "You know what I meant. Have you ever been anywhere other than...well, here?"

Sango thought for a moment, than shook her head. "Not really. Well, I was born in the mountains, but I moved down into the city before I turned three, so I don't remember anything from that time." She frowned. "Other than that, I've never stepped foot out of this kingdom. Why do you ask?"

Kagome sighed, turning her gaze towards the direction of the sun as it set in the horizon. It almost looked like the sun was sinking under the water with the stark contrasts of the bright orange against the dark grey. "I just think...I've always believed that my life was supposed to amount to more than this. I always thought that there was something out there, out there beyond this vast sea, and that it was just waiting for me to go experience it." She looked down at her feet. "But instead, my life seems to be heading nowhere, nevermind across this ocean." She ran a hand through her dark locks. "Is this all that I am, all I'm ever going to be? Am I going to marry Koga in a few weeks, cope with a loveless marriage, settle down into middle-age, make some babies with the bastard, raise them and make sure they don't turn out like their father, then peacefully die exactly where I was born?"

Sango sighed, putting down her bread to fully face her friend. Sometimes, Kagome's imagination worked a little too hard. "Kagome, I know you've probably heard this a thousand times from a thousand people, so I hate to tell you again. But take a step back and look at your life! Your father is king of an entire empire! That's like, half the world! And if that's not enough, you were blessed with good looks and a kind personality. You have servants surrounding you all day, waiting on your beck and call. You've had twenty-seven _handsome, _if not a little dim, men seek your hand in marriage within the past year. You never have to worry about where your next meal comes from. Do you know how many people would love to be you, Kagome?"

Kagome flinched a little at Sango's blunt criticism. It was one of her favorite things about her best friend though, she had to admit that the lack of sugar-coating Sango placed on her words served as a good wake-up call to Kagome, but sometimes she found her friend a little unnerving.

"I'll have you know, it was twenty-_two _suitors, _twenty-two_."

"Well yes...but that's because a few of them tried twice!"

"It doesn't matter anyway, they only came after me for my position! They were all just greedy, selfish, King-wannabes."

"So what? They still wanted to marry you. How many suitors have I had in the past year?" Sango asked angrily.

Kagome pretended to think for a second. "Um...let me see...thirty-three?!"

"Exactly my point! I've had..." Sango drifted off, snapping suddenly out of her mad rant. "Thirty-three? Really?"

Kagome nodded.

"Wow." Sango said in stunned silence. "That many huh? That's like, eleven more than you!"

"No, six more, I had twenty-seven remember?"

"No, you only technically had twenty-two."

Kagome sighed, crossing her arms. Sango didn't notice, still entranced by how many men have gone after her. "Dang Kagome, either way, I've had more than you."

"Thanks for being so sensitive about it and not rubbing it in." Kagome huffed. Sango wasn't a princess, so her suitors weren't just after her money or title.

Sango smiled, turning to look at Kagome. "Well, other than that, you are luckier than most girls on this _island, _as you call it."

"Sometimes, I wish I was born a commoner." Kagome lay down on her back, staring up at the orange sky. It looked like a mirage painting, streaked with soft pink, baby blue and lavender.

Sango lay down beside her best friend, joining her in marveling at the sky's beauty. "Kagome, Kagome, Kagome..." She whispered. "Always on her little cloud of fantasies..."

The remark didn't hurt Kagome, she knew Sango meant it well. Plus, she said it all the time.

Sango continued, closing her eyes. "When will you come back down to earth and join the rest of us normal people?"

They lay in silence for a few minutes, just enjoying the cool, ocean breeze as it played through their hair and tickled their senses.

"When I fall off."

"It's gonna be painful."

"I know." Kagome replied calmly. "I can take it."

Sango smiled and turned to look at her best friend to find that she had fallen asleep. The truth was, Sango sometimes dreamt about the same things as Kagome did. She would find herself wondering about adventures in a far off land, with a man she fell passionately and uncontrollably in love with. Proof that Kagome was rubbing off on her.

But unlike Kagome, Sango's realistic side dominiated her dreaming side. She knew that this was life...It would be useless to yearn for something more, because in the process, you could find that you've ruined what you already had. It was like one of those contests at the town marketplace. Keep the chicken and go home and have chicken broth? Or chuck the chicken and take another chance at a draw for a cow? If you won, well hell, you'd be having ribs for dinner for the next two weeks. But if you lost? Go home emptyhanded.

Kagome was a "toss-the-fowl-bring-me-the-beef" type of person.

Sango was a "keep-the-goddamn-chicken" type.

Sango blinked, noticing just how weird that sounded. Well it made sense...soon she closed her eyes, letting herself drift of to sleep like her friend beside her.

* * *

Akira cursed what he wore...black trousers, black smock and a black cape. Black, black, black. The color of mourning. The color of loss. The color of death. 

The lord stood at the front of a concession. On either sides of him was a row of people, so that they formed a pathway in front of Akira. It was a stone pathway, scattered with scarlet rose petals. The petals were probably the only color in this seemingly black and white ceremony. Red was Inuyasha's favorite color.

Coming down the walkway in his direction was a large boat, carried by ten soldiers with Miroku in the front. Seeing this made something inside Akira snap. He knew that Inuyasha was dead...but seeing the funeral boat he lay in brought that into a sharp, painful focus for the young lord. As the boat neared Akira, they stopped to give the lord a chance to say his final goodbyes.

But as Akira peered down into the boat at the peaceful face of the hanyou, he found no words to utter. He simply reached out a hand and placed it on Inuyasha's cold cheek. Inuyasha and Akira were in no way related, but he felt the loss as deep as any father whose son had died would. He withdrew his hand, giving Miroku a solemn nod, and watched as the boat continued past him.

Miroku and the other soldiers placed the boat on the edge of the beach, giving it a gentle push into the ocean. It bobbed in the water before calmly and slowly floating out to sea. The boat was filled with Juniper leaves, an extremely flammable plant. A row of archers stood atop the cliffs, about fifty feet above the ground. Each held a bow and one flaming arrow.

The archers took aim, and one by one, fired. As each arrow hit the boat around Inuyasha with a thunk, they felt like daggers to the heart for Akira. The Juniper leaves around the hanyou burst into flames, blocking him from view. Cremation by sea. After the body was reduced to ashes, the wooden boat would burn away, letting the ashes of the person fall into the water.

Akira felt a hand on his shoulder, and he turned to see Miroku standing beside him. Neither of them said anything, simply stared at the big bonfire on the ocean.

"You know..." Miroku started. "Perhaps it's time you found yourself a wife."

Akira just nodded, knowing that now that Inuyasha was gone, he had no heir. But he just couldn't bring himself to worry about finding a girl. His younger sister was trampled to death by a frightened horse when he was eight. Four years later, his mother died while giving birth to his younger brother, who died three days after being born. After the death of his mother, his father, th elord of his country, committed suicide, leaving Akira at the tender age of twelve to fend for himself on the throne. Three years later, he was forced to go to a unification meeting where all the lords of the North were murdered, except for him. Then, just a few days before his sixteenth birthday, he was made king of the entire Northern empire. Now Inuyasha, the boy he loved like a son, has died in battle. If he took a wife, that'd just be giving him something else that could be snatched painfully away from him.

Over and over, people that he loved were taken from him. When he first lost his sister, a knife was stuck into his heart, and her death seemed to set the boulder rolling. Everytime someone close to him died, the knife was pushed deeper and deeper. With Inuyasha's death, it was the final twist. He didn't know if he could ever feel close to someone again. All that ever seemed to come out of it was pain.

Akira let the tears flow freely down his face.

* * *

**AN: **Sorry about the long wait...You know that headache I talked about up there? Well that turned into a full-blown migraine and fever. Yay, I have the flu!

So I had to put this chapter on hold for a few days. I just started feeling better today, so I finished this as fast as I could. It's not very long, but I decided that I should just post it to give you guys something to read while I recover. So, next chapter...Time and Sea! (Again.)


	4. Time and Sea

Disclaimer: Inuyasha is not mine. This plot isn't mine either...But Akira is! (To an extent...)

**AN: **Well I'm feeling one-hundred percent better now Although that didn't stop me from staying home from school...Right at this moment, my fellow friends are taking an English vocab test, while I'm here, sitting comfortably in my warm blankets with my laptop and writing this story.

I just want to take a moment to stop and thank everybody who's taken the time to review so far, especially **fath8252** and **haydenlover19** (Hayden doesn't happen to have anything to do with a certain Star Wars actor does it? ) for their long reviews. Those are my favorite! For those of you who don't write, you have no idea how much reviews can mean to an author. Sometimes, one or two reviews makes the difference between me deciding to continue the story or deciding to quit. Now I'm not forcing you to review...But it's a great spirit booster for me :D

On with the story!

* * *

**Forbidden**

**Chapter 3**

**Time and Sea**

* * *

Lord Higurashi placed his head in his hands tiredly, rubbing his eyes. It had been a long day, and all he wanted to do was sleep. However, that seemed to be the last thing on his priority list right now. 

"My lord?"

He snapped his head up to see his messenger kneeling on the floor before him. "Yes?" He said impatiently.

"We've lost the battle to the North."

The king groaned inwardly at the bad news, knowing now that nothing would stop the North from overthrowing the South. "Any survivors?"

"That is still unknown, sir. But the chances of any of our soldiers surviving are slim."

Lord Higurashi sighed, knowing fully well that his entire army had just been wiped out. If anyone attacked now, they'd have no form of defense at all. "Thank you, you may go."

The messenger bowed, exiting the throne room.

So that meant Kouga was dead didn't it? That was a shame, seeing as how Kagome was just beginning to warm up to him. She'd be simply horrified with the news. Well there was still a chance of Kouga returning, wasn't there? Kouga was strong...albeit not the brightest crayon in the box. The king sighed. This had just made his day twenty times worse.

His army lost to the Northerns, so now he had no army and was open to attack. He had just lost his best warrior. His daughter had no betrothed anymore. And to top it all off, his people were beginning to show signs of discontentment, nervous and angry to be on the verge of another great war. He didn't want to lose control to the North. The South needed to stay in power. Or if the South wasn't on top, than at least the North couldn't be either. Perhaps they could find away to even out the balance of power?

Something had to be done.

* * *

It was hot. 

This was the only thought registering in Inuyasha's foggy mind as he came to, immediately after wishing he hadn't. His whole body hurt like no tomorrow. His head pounded, his muscles ached, and his broken bones had yet to heal completely. He would've opened his eyes, but that felt like a waste of energy. He tried to move, to get away from the heat, but found to his distress that he couldn't even budge a finger. It was like his whole body now had a mind of its own. Inuyasha told it to move, but it lay still. Inuyasha told it to get away from the heat, but it stayed where it was. Inuyasha told it to stop hurting, but he was still in as much pain as ever.

He could feel the sweat running down in streams all over him. The heat was becoming unbearable, even through his fire-rat haori. Suddenly, just when he thought he couldn't take it anymore, a huge wave crashed over him. The heat seemed to vanish, leaving behind a hissing mess. A cool wind blew past him, making his damp clothes cling to his formerly sweaty body. Well at least it wasn't hot anymore, he thought, shivering a little now from the wind.

He felt the salty water of the ocean seep into his shirt and onto the wound in his chest. He clenched his teeth in pain. He tried to ignore it, tried to think of something else. Um, let's see...let's start with...

WHERE THE HELL AM I??!!

The strong thought hit his feeble mind in a panic, making his headache even worse. He ignored it.

The last thing he remembered was killing that wolf demon of the South. Then what? Then he collapsed...that's it. Where was he now? Well, he knew he was in some kind of boat on the ocean, he could tell that much by the hard wood under him and that salty wave of water that had hit him. But _why_?

Inuyasha tried to think, but exhaustion suddenly swept over him, sending him into another deep coma.

* * *

Kagome ran a hand through her tangled hair and licked her lips, tasting the salt of the ocean wind. It was early morning, and the sun hadn't risen yet. She had found it hard to sleep, and so she decided to come down to the beach, opting to sleep down here instead. She was sitting a few feet away from the cove. 

When they were younger, Kagome and Sango had built a clubhouse of sorts down here on the beach. Well, if you can call putting up a door 'building'. They happened across a cave one day while playing Princess and the Pauper (Kagome, ironically, was always the pauper). It wasn't big, but it had a cozy feel to it. The entrance to the cave faced away from the beach so nobody could see it unless they purposely walked in that direction. So they gathered some driftwood, nicked some string from the castle, and tied the wooden pieces together into a makeshift door. Needless to say, they were very proud of their accomplishments.

They called it the cove. It was their favorite place to come when they wanted to get away from things. This particular night, Kagome had a lot on her mind, and she found that the whistling of the ocean breeze and the salty spray helped calm her. She had gone to Sango's room, the room next to hers, before leaving, informing her friend of where she was going.

Obviously, Sango had decided to follow Kagome, for at that moment, a voice jolted the princess out of her reverie. "You'll catch a cold you know."

Kagome jumped and whirled around to face her friend, hand flying to her heart to calm her frazzled nerves. "Jeez! Haven't you heard of ominous footsteps to warn the victim?"

Sango shrugged, coming to sit beside Kagome. "It's sand. Who walks loudly in sand?"

Kagome laughed, and Sango joined her. She had brought blankets with her, and she draped one gently over her friend's shoulder. Kagome clung to it graciously, smiling in thanks.

"So any particular reason why you're here?"

Kagome shook her head. "Not really. Just looking for some peace and quiet." She ran a hand through her hair again, trying to untangle the knots. She turned her gaze towards the sea, looking for something to distract her. She spotted a large piece of driftwood a few yards out, bobbing violently in the waves. Other than that, everything was as it always was.

Sango sighed, breathing in the tangy air around her. A few days before, she had accused Kagome of spending too much time on the beach, but she spent just as much time here herself. She couldn't deny the soothing affect it had on her.

From the corner of her eye, she spotted a boat. She thought it was a piece of driftwood at first, but a second glance at its odd shape told her otherwise. She squinted. "Is that...?" She drifted off, still staring.

Kagome turned to look at her friend, before looking in the direction of Sango's puzzlement. She spotted the piece of wood she had spied earlier, but found, to her surprise, that it was a boat. And there was somebody in it. She got up instinctively.

"No Kagome! What are you doing?" Sango hissed, tugging at Kagome's blankets in a plea to make her sit back down.

"There's someone in that boat!" Kagome exclaimed, picking up her skirts to make her way towards the edge of the beach.

"They're probably dead. And if they're not..." Sango drifted off, knowing that Kagome was out of hearing range by now. With a huff, she stood up as well, trailing behind her friend. People were always trying to get to the king through his daughter. Lord knows how many attempts had been made on Kagome's life before.

Kagome broke into a run, a pounding beginning in her heart. As she got closer and closer, she feared that Sango was right. Someone lay in the boat. Someone dirty, bloody, and unmoving. She came to a stop before the boat, breathless.

"Aah!" She shrieked. "A dead person!!"

Sango caught up with her, rubbing her ears from the high-pitched scream. "Don't be ridiculous." Sango muttered, rushing past her traumatised friend to kneel in the sand beside the fallen victim. Kagome winced at how beat up the boy looked. "Look at him." She said breathily. It'd be a wonder if he wasn't dead.

"You know, for a healer, you sure are squeamish." Sango gently picked up the boy's wrist, placing her forefinger and middle finger on it gently, testing for a pulse.

"I'm not a healer." Kagome said, kneeling next to Sango. "I just help people when I can."

After a few moments, Sango dropped the boy's wrist. "Well, I have news for you. First of all, he is most definitely not dead, unless dead people's hearts continue to beat. Second of all..." Sango looked down at the boy. Kagome followed suit, and for the first time, noticed the little doggy ears sitting atop his head of white (although you couldn't tell now) hair. "He isn't a person." His heartbeat had been weak, faltering every few beats as if threatening to stop altogether.

"What should we do?" Kagome whispered. She was still partially in shock. Things like this didn't happen to her. She had been born and raised in a castle under royal attention. All her life, she had been carefully tended to, and kept away from the riffraff of the streets. Never did she expect to find a half-dead demon on the beach. Not that she was complaining...she was just completely out of her comfort zone in this situation.

"It's up to you." Sango said, turning to face her friend. "You know you're probably the only person who can help him. When it comes to sicknesses, nobody knows they're way around herbs and treatments like you do Kagome."

Kagome was still shocked. These things didn't happen to her. She had been born and raised in a castle under royal attention, almost 24-7. All her life, she had been kept secluded from the riffraff of the streets. Everything was tidy, routine, scheduled, and boring. She felt out of her normal comfort zone.

But as she gazed into the pale, dirty face of the boy, she already knew that she would agree to help him. It was in her nature. She could never live with herself if she just walked away now. So she slowly nodded. "Help me drag him to the cove. I'll see what I can do."

Sango smiled, and stood up. After offering Kagome a hand and pulling her up, they each took a hold of the boy. Kagome grabbed his arms and Sango took a hold of his ankles. Together, they hoisted, half carrying, half dragging him in the direction of the small wooden door at the cove. After dropping him a few times, (he had responded to those times with a low growl), they finally managed to get him into the cove. They had nicked carpets and furs from the castle a long time ago to make the cove cosier, and it was on one of the fur pelts that they situated the boy.

Kagome looked him over quickly, checking for any unusual signs. Irregular breathing, pale complexion, unconsciousness...that could mean a million different things! She desperately began taking off his clothes. After removing his fire-rat haori and white top, she noticed the deep gash on his chest. She leaned forward to inspect the cut. It was black in the center, dark red on the sides, and a greenish-blue on the edges. Carefully, she ran a finger along it, hesitating when he shifted in pain. It felt slightly bumpy near the edge...that could only mean one thing.

Poison.

And luckily for Kagome, she had just studied up on this particular type a few days ago with a certain wolf demon...

"Sango!" She yelled frantically. "Bring me some thyme and sea salt!"

* * *

**AN: **I apologize profusely for how short it is... . I'll make the next one longer, I promise.

I'm afraid I won't be able to update as quickly now...Break just ended, so it's back to school for me. (No more pretending to be sick.) But I'll try.

Would you guys prefer quicker updates but shorter chapters? Or slower updates with longer chapters? Tell me in a review please, and I'll try my best to do what you guys want.

Alright, next chappie...'What goes around, comes around'


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